Easy-to-wear lace up article of footwear

ABSTRACT

An easy-to-wear lace up article of footwear includes a forefoot opening intended to be secured by a lacing system and a second opening at the rear heel part of the shoe which is secured by a rear tongue and a rear lacing system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to a novel construction of a lace up article of footwear, which enables the article of footwear to be slipped on the wearer's foot and held securely on the foot without the need for lacing it on the shoe. This provides the shoe with a unique and novel appearance of a lace up shoe that is worn without lacing.

2. Description of the Related Art

U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,547 describes a construction of an oxford type lace up athleisure shoe which enables the shoe to be slipped on the wearer's foot and held on the foot without the need from lacing on the shoe, by providing transversally on the tongue an elastic band.

However, if said construction can be used for low upper shoes, it will not be convenient for high upper shoes.

It thus still exists a need for an article of footwear which is aesthetically similar to lace shoe but which is easy-to-wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an easy-to-wear article of footwear having a double lacing system.

An article of footwear can have a low upper or a high upper and can be more or less flexible or more or less rigid. However, the wearer's foot has to be adequately held.

Various systems are used to hold adequately the foot in the articles of footwear, in particular laces or straps. Aesthetically, laces are very appreciated. However, tightening the shoes with laces is burdensome and sometimes difficult for children or teenagers, and time consuming for everybody.

The present invention found a new article of footwear comprising laces which do not need to be tightened when the wearer's foot enters or goes out.

The article of footwear according to the invention presents a double lacing system, a first one, as conventionally, connecting quarters close together on the front of the foot and a second one which is placed on the rear part of the article of footwear, which facilitates the sliding of the foot in the article of footwear. Said second lace system allows the foot's wearer to enter the foot in the article of footwear with no difficulty, allowing a better fitting of the foot inside the shoe and participates to the aesthetics of the article of footwear.

The article of footwear according to the invention presents a tongue in the rear part of the shoe. Said tongue is affixed to the sole and to the near part of the quarters on a distance from the sole which corresponds about to the malleolus of the foot's wearer when placed in the article of footwear, ensuring that the foot is hold correctly in the shoe.

The article of footwear according to the invention is provided with a double lace system comprising laces presenting a resilience sufficient to allow the introduction of the foot's wearer and to secure it when placed into the article of footwear.

In another aspect of the invention, the disposition of the lace holes on the rear part of the upper optimizes the opening of the ankle opening while allowing a satisfactory held of the wearer's foot.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will be better understood from the description which follows, with reference to the accompanying drawings which describe and illustrate various embodiments of the invention.

In the following description of the various embodiments, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that depict illustrative arrangements in which the invention may be practiced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 represents a top view of a shoe according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 represents a ¾ rear view of the shoe according to FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents a lateral view of the shoe according to FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The article of footwear according to the invention is a lace up article of footwear, which presents a novel construction. The novel construction of the article of footwear enables the shoe to be securely worn on the foot without lacing, as will be explained. The novel construction is mainly the presence of a second tongue and of lace system which are both placed at the rear of the article of footwear.

Because much of the construction of the article of footwear of the invention is the same as that of a conventional lace up shoe, the conventional features of the construction will be described generally.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the article of footwear according to the invention comprising a forefoot opening intended to be secured by a lacing system and a second opening at the rear heel part of the shoe which is secured by a rear tongue and a rear lacing system. The presence of the rear tongue and rear lacing system allows an improved fit and an easy entry of the foot without unlacing.

The article of footwear according to the invention may be selected from the group comprising sneakers, oxford type athletic shoes, active footwear, athletically styled casual shoes, including aerobic dance, baseball/softball, basketball, cross training, hiking, running, tennis, walking, golf, football and volleyball. Said shoes can be made in any material conventionally used for footwear articles, such as leather, canvas, suede.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the article of footwear comprises:

-   -   a shoe sole having a length extending from the heel end to the         toe end and a width extending from the left side to the right         side;     -   an upper secured to the shoe sole, except around the heel end;     -   a rear tongue secured to the shoe sole around the heel end;     -   the upper, the rear tongue and the shoe sole together enclosing         an interior of the shoe;     -   the upper and the rear tongue forming an ankle opening;     -   the upper having a forefoot opening to the interior of the shoe,         the upper having left and right sides that extend along opposite         sides of the forefoot opening;     -   a plurality of lacing openings arranged along the upper left         side and arranged along the upper right side, and intended to be         provided with a lace;     -   the upper presenting upwardly a left free rear edge and a right         free rear edge separated by a space having a width corresponding         about to the width of the heel and enclosing the rear tongue;     -   a plurality of lacing openings arranged along the left free rear         edge of the upper and arranged along the right free rear edge of         the upper and intended to be provided with a lace.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the rear lacing system comprises a resilient lace. The resiliency of the lace allows a sufficient extension of the collar shoe to slide the foot inside the shoe and allows securing the foot inside the foot when inserted. Preferably, the lace presents a resilience equivalent to multi-strands of elastic used for bungee cords, made with 3 to 6 bands of latex inside a polyester envelope, with a length from 22 to 32 inches. Examples of suitable laces are those marketed under the trademarks Lock Laces™ or Xtenex™. The article of footwear can be used in combination with a lacing system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,026,548 which is incorporated by reference.

The lacing system securing the forefoot opening may also comprise a resilient lace. The resiliency may be analogous to the resilience of the rear lace.

In another embodiment according to the invention, the plurality of lacing openings arranged along the left free rear edge of the upper and arranged along the right free rear edge of the upper and intended to be provided with a lace is provided on two different ranges, a first one near the free edges and the other one more inwardly.

Preferably, the first range follows the curve of the heel.

The lacing openings which are in the most inwardly range are preferably placed at a height from the shoe sole corresponding to the malleolus and/or to the ankle of the wearer when the article of wearfoot is worn.

The rear tongue can move independently of the upper, functioning like a conventional tongue.

According to a specific embodiment, the rear tongue is secured to the right and the left free rear edges of the upper, upwardly from the shoe sole to a height corresponding to the malleolus of the wearer when the article of footwear is worn.

In the preferred embodiment of the article of footwear shown in the drawing figures, the article of footwear is a pair of sneakers. However, it should be understood that the invention could be employed on other types of lace up articles of footwear that are desired to be worn without lacing and without altering the appearance of the lace up shoe.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, a shoe 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the invention is represented. The shoe has a shoe sole 2 that is constructed of resilient materials that are typically employed in the constructions of the soles of athletic shoes. The sole 2 can be constructed with an outsole, a midsole, and an insert, as is typical. The shoe 1 has a length that extends from a rear heel end 3 to a front toe end 4 of the sole, and the shoe 1 has a width between a left side 5 and a right side 6 of the shoe sole 2. A shoe upper 7 is secured to the shoe sole 2 extending upwardly from the shoe sole, as is conventional. The upper 7 is constructed of a flexible material, for example leather or fabric. The upper 7 extends upwardly, around the front part of the shoe sole top surface, from the right side of the heel (where it is called upper right side 8) around the toe end of the shoe sole (where it is called vamp 9), until the left side of the heel (where it is called upper left side 10). Conversely to conventional shoe, the upper does not surround the heel end 3 of the shoe sole 2. The upper 7 presents upwardly a left free rear edge 11 and a right free rear edge 12 separated by a space having a width corresponding about to the width of the heel. A rear tongue 13 is affixed to this part of the shoe sole 2. Said tongue 13 extends upwardly, its width is such that it extends close to the right free rear edge 12 of the upper 7 from one side and close to the left free rear edge 11 of the upper 7 in the other side. Said rear tongue 13 can move independently of the upper 7, functioning like a conventional tongue.

The upper left portion 10, the upper right portion 8 and the rear tongue 13 extend upwardly from the shoe sole 2 and define an ankle opening 14 into the shoe interior. Said ankle opening 14 is also called the shoe collar.

The upper left side 10 extends upwardly from the shoe sole left side to an upper left side edge 15. The upper right side 8 extends upwardly from the shoe sole right side to an upper right side edge 16. As seen in the drawing figures, the upper left side edge 15 and the upper right side edge 16 extend forwardly from opposite sides of the upper collar edge 38 toward the front toe end 4 of the shoe sole. The length of the upper left side edge 15 and the upper right side edge 16 define a forefoot opening 17 in the shoe upper 7 that opens to the shoe interior 18.

The shoe upper 7 includes a vamp 9 positioned rearwardly of the toe end 4, and a tongue 19 that extends rearwardly from the vamp 9. The tongue 16 extends along the lengths of the upper left side 10 and the upper right side 8 to a distal end of the tongue 19. The tongue 19 has a width between a left side edge 20 and a right side edge 21 of the tongue. The length and width of the tongue position the tongue side edges 20, 21 beneath the upper left side 10 and the upper right side 8 and extend the tongue over the forefoot opening 17 of the shoe 1.

A plurality of lacing openings 22 are provided on the upper left side 10 and the upper right side 8. These lacing openings 22 are intended to be occupied by a portion of the lacing 23 that closes the shoe upper 7 over the forefoot opening 17 of the shoe. The lacing openings 22 can be for example D-rings or speed lacing hooks. However, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lacing openings 22 are provided by pluralities of eyelets or grommets on the upper left side 10 and the upper right side 8. The eyelets provide the desired lace up shoe appearance. The eyelet lacing openings 22 are arranged in lines along the upper left side edge 10 and along the upper right side edge 8. As seen in the drawing figures, the lacing openings 22 extend substantially the entire lengths of the upper left side edge 10 and the upper right side edge 8 between the upper collar edge and the upper toe end.

As represented in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of lacing openings 24, 25 are also provided on the left free rear edge 11 of the upper and on the right free rear edge 12 of the upper. Said plurality of lacing openings 24, 25 are provided on a double range. A first range is disposed near the free end and the other one more inwardly. The first range of openings 24 may follow the curve of the heel. The openings 25 which are disposed more inwardly are intended to be placed at the level of the malleolus 25 a of the wearer's foot and at the level of the ankle 25 b of the wearer. These lacing openings 24, 25 are intended to be occupied by a portion of the lacing 26 that closes the shoe upper 7 around the heel, allowing to adjust the position of the foot in the shoe.

The presence of the rear tongue 13 enables the ankle opening 14 of the shoe 1 to be enlarged when inserting the foot into the shoe. The shoe wearer merely pulls rearwardly on the rear tongue 13 adjacent the tongue distal end to push it as represented by the arrow on FIG. 1. The shoe wearer then slips its foot along the rear tongue 13 into the shoe interior 18 beneath the tongue 19. With the foot inserted in the shoe interior, the elastic lace 26 forces the rear tongue 13 against the wearer's ankle.

Of course, if elastic lace is also provided on the forefoot part of the shoe, when the wearer's foot is slipping inside the shoe, the tongue 19 is pushed upwardly and thanks to the elastic lace 23, when the foot is completely inserted inside the shoe, the tongue is forced against the foot.

Thus, the novel construction of the article of footwear provides a lace up article of footwear that is securely held to a shoe wearer's foot without the need for lacing, and provides the comfort and the desired appearance of a lace up article of footwear.

Although the article of footwear of the invention has been described above by referring to a particular embodiment, it should be understood that modifications and variations could be made to said article without departing from the intended scope of protection provided by the following claims. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. An easy-to-wear lace up article of footwear (1) comprising: a forefoot opening (17) intended to be secured by a lacing system (23); a second opening at the rear heel part of the shoe which is secured by a rear tongue (13) and a rear lacing system (26); a shoe sole (2) having a length extending from the heel end (3) to the toe end (4) and a width extending from the left side (5) to the right side (6); an upper (7) secured to the shoe sole (2), except around the heel end (3); a rear tongue (13) secured to the shoe sole (2) around the heel end (3); the upper (7), the rear tongue (13) and the shoe sole (2) together enclosing an interior (18) of the shoe; the upper (7) and the rear tongue (13) forming an ankle opening (14); the upper (7) having a forefoot opening (17) to the interior (18) of the shoe (1), the upper (7) having left and right sides (8, 10) that extend along opposite sides of the forefoot opening (17); a plurality of lacing openings (22) arranged along the upper left side (10) and arranged along the upper right side (8) and intended to be provided with a lace (23); the upper (7) presenting upwardly a left free rear edge (11) and a right free rear edge (12) separated by a space having a width corresponding about to the width of the heel and enclosing the rear tongue (13); a plurality of lacing openings (24, 25) arranged along the left free rear edge (11) of the upper and arranged along the right free rear edge (12) of the upper and intended to be provided with a lace (26); wherein the rear tongue (13) is secured to the right and the left free rear edges (8, 10) of the upper, upwardly from the shoe sole (2) to a height corresponding to the malleolus of the wearer when the article of footwear is worn.
 12. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 11, which is selected from the group consisting of lace up shoes, sneakers, oxford type athletic shoe, active footwear, athletically styled casual shoes, including aerobic dance, baseball/softball, basketball, cross training, hiking, running, tennis, walking, golf, football and volleyball.
 13. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 11, wherein the rear lacing system (26) comprises a resilient lace.
 14. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 11, wherein the lacing system (23) securing the forefoot opening (17) comprises a resilient lace.
 15. The article of footwear according to claim 13, wherein the resiliency of the lace as measured by its Young's modulus is equivalent to multi-strands of elastic used for bungee cords, made with 3 to 6 bands of latex inside a polyester envelope, with a length from 22 to 32 inches.
 16. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 11, the plurality of lacing openings (24, 25) arranged along the left free rear edge (11) of the upper and arranged along the right free rear edge (12) of the upper and intended to be provided with a lace (26) is provided on two different ranges, a first one near the free edges and the other one more inwardly.
 17. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 16, wherein the first range of lacing openings (24) follows the curve of the heel.
 18. The article of footwear (1) according to claim 16, wherein the lacing openings (25) of the most inwardly range are placed at a height from the shoe sole corresponding to the malleolus and/or to the ankle of the wearer when the article of footwear (1) is worn.
 19. The article of footwear according to claim 14, wherein the resiliency of the lace as measured by its Young's modulus is equivalent to multi-strands of elastic used for bungee cords, made with 3 to 6 bands of latex inside a polyester envelope, with a length from 22 to 32 inches. 